I tend to be an 'all or nothing' kind of person. For example, I won't want to do a race unless I know I can do it well enough to place respectably. Or I won't want to train hard on a bike all winter knowing that on random weekends, the weather will not be favorable enough for me to ride. I have a difficult time digesting the notion of a 'training race'.

My lack of confidence in swimming has suppressed my desire to participate in a longer distance triathlon such as an Olympic distance (1.5 km swim, 40 km bike, 10 km run). But I am starting to get my head together to prepare for such a race in July. I don't question my endurance or ability to ride or run that distance. What I fear is taking an hour to finish the swim or freaking out and hyperventilating in the open water. Thus, it's time for me to address my issues with swimming and make an attempt to enjoy the sport.

In the swim clinic this weekend, I learned that my goal for the swim should be to conserve energy for the other parts of the race — not necessarily to save time. My technique wasn't horrible to begin with, but making improvements in my stroke is going to take some time and practice since old habits are hard to break.